


Wish

by driflew



Category: One Piece
Genre: ASL Brothers, Angst, Gen, Light Horror, fake sabo au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:02:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23641291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/driflew/pseuds/driflew
Summary: Ace watched Sabo die when he was ten years old. So who did Luffy bring home?Based off a comic by tumblr user watermelon-chan
Comments: 69
Kudos: 177





	1. vast

**Author's Note:**

> this is based off a comic by tumblr user watermelon-chan, written with their permission/help in brainstorming (https://asexualzoro.tumblr.com/post/614795264237207553/watermelon-chan-o-brother-where-art-thou)
> 
> ill try to include tw in this on each individual chapter, but as a general overarching thing: tw for dark/destructive/kinda suicidal self talk. ace is a sad guy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw in this chapter for almost drowning and canon character (fake)death

“The fishing boat got shot at!” 

Ace’s body hits the water before Dogra even has a chance to shout for Sabo, while everyone else is too in shock to notice him. He’s used to moving fast, to swimming fast, but not like this. He never expected to have to save Sabo.

“Is the kid okay?!” 

Ace barely hears anyone yelling from the shore, the blood pounding in his ears as he desperately pulls himself through the water. Luffy’d suggested they go after Sabo before, but he’d been too angry to agree, even if he’d wanted to. He can’t fail Sabo again.

“The kid must have angered the Celestial Dragon!”

The boat is so far out, and Ace can see even through the rocky water that it’s on fire. He can see Sabo on deck, trying to put out the fire with his jacket. It isn’t working. 

“If he hoisted a pirate flag, that makes him a pirate.”

Ace doesn’t know what he’ll do when he catches up to the ship. He jumped in without even thinking about it. Could he pull himself up? Maybe they can put out the fire and sail back around to Dadan. 

“Besides…”

The three of them could repair it, just like they built the tree house. Maybe they don’t need to save up money for a ship anymore. They could sail until they can afford their own ships. Or they could just stay together. He doesn’t need his own huge crew. Only a family. Only  _ his _ family.

“How dare that lowly peasant cross my ship’s path!”

Ace never sees the second shot. By the time he registers the sound of a gun, it’s too late. The ship in front of him explodes, and the impact churns the ocean around him. The force of the blast sends wooden shrapnel across the water. Something cuts deep into his left shoulder. Ace doesn’t even look before pulling it loose. It’ll impede his swimming. He can’t afford to slow down, not now, not when Sabo is somewhere in the water so damn far ahead of him. 

How can he face Luffy if he lets Sabo drown here?

Even though he pours in all his strength, Ace is only so capable. His swimming is usually to catch a little brother ten feet in front of him in a river. Sabo is… Ace doesn’t even know how far. Is he getting farther? Are the waves pushing Ace away? Was the ocean always so vast?

Closing the distance takes what feels like hours. Ace’s entire body aches. His injuries from the fire and from fighting Porchemy slow him down. His body was littered with cuts and bruises even before he hit the water. Now, his limbs feel as though they’re filling up through every wound. He’s too slow, Ace knows he’s too slow. If Sabo was in the center of that blast, there’s no way he stayed conscious. If he sunk…

Maybe he didn’t sink. Maybe he’s conscious. Maybe he’s holding onto a patch of wood, treading water. There’s too much wood and smoke to see the whole mess clearly, too much fire to get close. But Ace can deal with fire.

Ace pulls his body into the water at the center of what was once the ship. Pieces of it float around, and Ace frantically scans each one for signs of Sabo. No one in what was once the cabin, no one on what was once the deck, no one hanging on what was once the railing, no one-- 

A familiar blue fabric floats on the water and Ace grabs it, but it’s just an empty coat. Sabo isn’t here. Is there any other debris big enough for Sabo to hang onto? The mast, the hull, the  _ anything _ ? No, Ace saw him on deck, he must have fallen into the water. If Ace dives deep enough, maybe…

Pushing through the half-submerged driftwood that held his brother moments ago, Ace dives under. Smoke and salt try to force his eyes closed, but he needs to find Sabo. 

But Ace is only so capable. 

His enemy is the ocean itself, and no one is stronger than the ocean. He surfaces long enough to gasp, taking smoke and oxygen into his lungs in equal parts, and dives back down. This time he surfaces even sooner. Even his uninjured arm throbs with the effort of fighting to find his brother in the water. This bay has to be deep, how far could Sabo have sunk? Could he be at the bottom already? 

Ace dives again, but his lungs are more smoke than air by this point in the center of the explosion. He tries to push upwards again, but he’s impatient. He doesn’t even reach the air, taking an overeager inhale and sucking in salt water. Coughing, Ace surfaces properly. Where is Sabo?

Even the ocean around Ace is burning. Could this really be happening? They’ve been in much more dangerous scrapes together than this. Sabo was fine! Ace  _ saw _ him. He was just holding that damn coat a few minutes ago! Where is he?!

The giant wakes of the Celestial ship finally make their way to the wreckage. Ace grabs onto the nearest piece of wood big enough and unburnt enough to support him. He’s going to die if he stays here. He can’t last much longer in this water, and if  _ he _ can’t, then Sabo has probably already… God, what the hell is he supposed to tell  _ Luffy _ ?

Ace drops the driftwood and dives again. Legs, arms, lungs, chest, eyes… Though he’s in the water, every part of his body burns. He drops as deep as his body can handle and uses the last few seconds of oxygen to pull himself up, coughing and cursing and sniffling at the surface. He wipes the salt from his eyes with wet hands and dives again. Where  _ is _ Sabo? He can’t just be gone! Can’t Ace at least find a body?! Even a piece of something to bury would be better than this diving and diving and diving and nothing.

“Ace!” Ace barely even hears Dogra’s voice the first time, almost dropping under the water again. He looks out from the wreckage to see the man on a small boat, clearly… borrowed from someone too distracted by the Celestial Dragons to notice. 

It takes until now for Ace to notice the people are gone from the shore. How long has he been in the water? How long has Sabo?

“Ace, you’re going to drown if you keep at that!” Dogra says. He can’t get too close with his boat, but somehow the distance is more insurmountable to Ace than swimming all the way out here was. Maybe he knows getting on that boat means admitting he won’t find Sabo alive. Defeat here means Sabo is really, truly dead.

Ace drops under the water again. Nothing, of course he finds nothing! He doesn’t want to come up, not if it means he has to leave Sabo here. He can’t turn tail and run away now! What kind of brother would he be if he left? Sabo would never stop looking for him. Ace has to give his everything. He surfaces again. If he could hold his breath a little longer, dive a little deeper, if he could just--

“Ace! I’m not telling Luffy I watched both his brothers die today!” Dogra’s voice cuts through. “No human being could have survived being underwater this long! He’s gone, Ace!”

* * *

Ace sits up as if charged with electricity, throwing a blanket off himself. One moment Ace is in the water, reaching up for the surface. The deep of the water and the dark of the night have blurred completely, and with the fire out and the darkness eating at the edges of Ace’s vision, it’s hard to make out one blackness for another. The next moment he’s on the floor of Dadan’s place, wrapped in bandages.

How did he even get here? Ace puts a hand to the floor to get up, but his fingers land on paper rather than wood. When he looks down, Ace finds a letter with an unmistakable S in the corner. He tears the envelope open immediately--Is Sabo alright? Did they find him? Maybe he’s here and he just didn’t want to wake Ace. Maybe--

_ \--Unfortunately for you two, by the time you get this letter, I'll already be at sea. A lot of stuff happened-- _

Ace considers dropping the letter entirely, but refrains. Sabo is actually gone? Sabo actually drowned in the ocean? Ace actually left Sabo to die?

Ace gets up, walking out of the house. Does Luffy know yet? Did someone tell him what happened to Sabo? Does Luffy know what Ace did? Ace has known his whole life that if he ever ran away from danger, he’d lose something he could never get back. 

_ \--We brothers should all become pirates one of these days! Then we can meet again somewhere out there-- _

Ace walks faster, into the forest. The letter is so goddamn hopeful. Ace feels he might as well have killed Sabo himself. So what Ace was injured? So what there was smoke? So what the stupid boat was so far out? Ace was there! Ace saw the whole thing happen! They’ll never see Sabo again, and it’s Ace’s fault.

_ \--Another thing, Ace-- _

His own name in Sabo’s handwriting draws a gasp before he can stop it, and the air itself hurts more than any smoke or salt water. Rather than oxygen, his lungs fill with guilt. How dare he stand here by the ocean’s edge, walking away from that nightmare unscathed, while Sabo sits somewhere in the mud below him?

_ \--Are  _ _ you the oldest brother or am I? It might be weird to have two oldest brothers and one little brother, but the bond we share is the greatest treasure I have. Luffy is still weak and a crybaby to boot, but he's still out little brother. Take care of him. _

Ace crushes the letter in his hand. Sabo made fun of Luffy for being a crybaby, what would he say of Ace now?

Ace couldn’t save Sabo. That’s going to weigh on Ace’s conscience for the rest of his life. Every breath he takes is stolen from Sabo’s lungs, wherever he lies at the bottom of this far-too-vast sea. If he can do nothing else, Ace can at least take care of Sabo’s last wish. Ace won’t lose another brother. He doesn’t need to be a pirate or sail the world. As long as he can protect Luffy, as long as he can stop something like this from happening again… 

Maybe he can make up for what he’s done to Sabo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the dialogue in the first scene up until sabo is shot is taken from the actual manga (viz translation), as is sabo's letter (also viz translation)! figured id keep it accurate for as long as i could.
> 
> you might be wondering how ace got to be at sabo's execution. the answer is... its a mystery
> 
> and... may i recommend the song Give Me To The Waves by General Ghost? it's very fitting of post-marineford Luffy and, especially, this au/chapter Ace...
> 
> it's gonna be fun to play with an ace who gives up a very vital part of his personality (not running from anything) out of grief/self-loathing. at least, fun for me! maybe not for you


	2. telescope

“Where were you?” Ace asks, the instant Luffy’s head pops in the doorway. Luffy stiffens immediately, pushing his hands behind him. It’s almost imperceptible against the dark of the night outside, but Luffy is so unsubtle about his actions it’s impossible to miss.

“You’re still awake?” Luffy asks. “I thought for sure you’d be asleep by now…”

“How was I supposed to fall asleep? You said you were only going to be gone for a few hours!” Ace says. “What were you even doing, anyway?” 

“Nothing!” Luffy looks away immediately, taking half a step back out the door. “You always worry too much. I’m not seven anymore, Ace.”

“No, you’re hiding something.” Ace demands. He takes a step forward, but Luffy doesn’t even seem to notice. “What do you have?”

“Nothing! Seriously, Ace!” Luffy says, but his voice wavers. Seven years, and he’s no better at lying than he was when they were kids. Ace stops in front of him, arms crossed.

“Spit it out. What’ve you got?” Ace asks, and Luffy relents. Holding out his hands, Luffy reveals a gold cylinder, glinting in the moonlight.

“It was supposed to be your birthday gift.” Luffy mutters, and Ace takes it. It extends in his hand, and he realizes immediately what it is.

“A telescope?” Ace asks. He turns it in his hands. Even with how dark it is, Ace can tell the thing is too clean to have come from the Grey Terminal, and too expensive for Luffy to afford, “Luffy, where did you…?”

“I went to High Town to find one.” Luffy beams, clearly proud of himself. 

“High Town? You could have gotten hurt going there by yourself!” Ace says, and Luffy waves him off.

“I’m not weak, Ace! And it wasn’t even hard.” Luffy insists. “It just took forever because I couldn’t find where they were selling them, and then guards just wouldn't stop chasing me when I took it.”

“Guards?” Ace asks “Luffy! They could have killed you! Especially by yourself! That’s way too reckless!”

“But a telescope is perfect!” Luffy says. He’s grinning, obviously proud of his gift, but the idea of him running through High Town alone makes Ace too sick to share any of his enthusiasm. “Any good pirate needs a telescope so they can see islands from far away, and--”

“Pirates?” The panic that was in Ace’s voice a second ago is gone, replaced with a quiet harshness. “That’s what this is about?”

“Yeah! Your birthday is coming up, so you’ll be--”

“No, I won’t.” Ace says. . “We’ve talked about this, Luffy. I haven’t wanted to be a pirate since I was ten.”

“Since Sabo died.” Luffy corrects. There’s a pause. It’s not something Ace likes to have brought up and Luffy knows it. But Ace’s would-be departure date is drawing closer, so their shared childhood dream has come up a few times over the past few weeks. Ace changes the conversation any time Luffy tries to talk about it. “Ace, he was following his dream. He wouldn’t have wanted--”

“He asked me to protect you. That’s what he wanted.” Ace snaps. His fingers close around the telescope. “That matters to me more than sailing the ocean or whatever. I just want to make sure you’re safe.”

“No. Sabo wanted freedom. This isn’t freedom. Not for me and not for you.” Luffy says, waving his arms in the air. “All you do is worry all the time. That was fine when we were kids, but now you’re worrying so much it’s like you think I can’t do anything. If Sabo were alive--”

“Well, he isn’t.” Ace says. If Ace hadn’t abandoned him, maybe they wouldn’t be having this argument. If Ace had just been faster, been stronger, been sturdier, then maybe Sabo would be here. Sabo was all about the freedom Luffy wants. If he were here instead, this argument wouldn’t even be happening. Sabo was always the better older brother. Luffy would have been better off if Ace hadn’t stolen his survival from him. They both know that.

“I wish he was.” Luffy says, looking down. Something in Ace fractures, just a little. 

“What? Do you wish I’d died instead?” Ace asks. Luffy’s head snaps up immediately, eyes wide. His body locks up in a position Ace recognizes, and it doesn’t surprise Ace a second later when he feels Luffy’s fist connect with his face. The force of it jerks Ace’s head to the side, but it doesn’t bother him. Luffy’s silence, however…

Ever since he abandoned Sabo to die, Ace has known that to protect Luffy--to protect Sabo’s greatest treasure--is all he can do to make it so his life is actually worth something. _Something_. Not worth Sabo, but something. But Luffy knows that, too? Ace has wished Sabo were here instead every day of his life since that asshole shot him out of the water. He’s done what he could to be the big brother Luffy needed, but he’s always known it wasn’t enough. But Luffy knows that, too?

Ace stares off to the wall for a long moment. When he looks towards Luffy again, Luffy is gone.

Ace doesn’t go after him.

* * *

“Ace! I found him!” After their argument, Ace doesn’t expect to hear Luffy’s voice waking him up. Is he back already? Wait, what did he even say? “Sabo’s home!”

Ace’s eyes snap open. He sits up, and his eyes lock on Luffy. He sits on the blanket in front of Ace, beaming. When Ace looks over his shoulder…

“Isn’t it amazing? I found him!” Luffy says. Ace says nothing. The man is backlit by the sun, making his face impossible to make out. Even so, Ace can tell he’s being watched. His heart starts pounding almost immediately, and he leans back a little further so Luffy can’t see him sweating. He saw Sabo die. Who _is_ this?

The stranger dresses the same as Sabo did, with shorts and a long blue coat. He’s even got the same ratty cravat and short blond hair. He looks just like the Sabo Ace remembers, were Sabo six feet tall.

“He says where he’s been is super top secret.” Luffy says, looking back to the man in the doorway. He sends a warm, closed-mouth smile back at Luffy, stepping forward. His eyes are closed even as he kneels by Luffy’s side. “Isn’t that right, Sabo?”

The man bares his teeth into a grin. Ace watches it curl up to his shut eyes and suppresses a shiver. This isn’t Sabo.

“Sorry for leaving, Ace.” He says, opening his eyes. Ace’s hand tightens in the blanket as Luffy leans his head into the man’s shoulder. His eye sockets are empty. No, not empty. His eye sockets contain an unnatural darkness, as though destroying, _eating_ the light around them. Even without pupils, though, Ace knows the thing’s eye’s staring right into Ace’s own. “Did you miss me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the dialogue in the second scene might sound familiar.... that's bc its the same as the comic this fic is based off of! i thought (w watermelon-chan's enthusiastic permission) it would be a fun thing to do as a call back! im sure yuve noticed this fic is ALL about fun...
> 
> also: Not-Sabo's appearance is based off the cover of chapter 596, where Oda drew what Sabo would have looked like had he grown up with his brothers!


	3. scars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i forgot to mention this last chapter when i published it (ill probably go back and add a note now) so i'm telling you here: Not-Sabo's appearance is based off the cover of chapter 596, where Oda drew what Sabo would have looked like had he grown up with his brothers! :3
> 
> ive had a couple ppl who have left very sweet long reviews on one or both of the existing chapters and i want you to know id die for you
> 
> also to the one person i talked to on tumblr on the ch 2 post: im sorry, now that i have more of the fic written since i spoke to you, i have to say this miiiiight be a horror fic. just a little. im sorry

Only Ace can see it. It’s pretty easy to figure that out by how relaxed Luffy is around this… whatever the thing sitting on the floor with them is. Unless maybe Luffy’s just completely ignoring that this thing has voids where its eyes are supposed to be. Maybe Luffy just forgot what Sabo’s face actually looked like? Luffy’s always been kind of faceblind, so-- No, even Luffy’s level of face blindness does not excuse forgetting your brother has eyes. 

Ace is pretty sure that the thing can tell it’s freaking Ace out, too. It knows whatever spell it's got on Luffy isn’t working on Ace, but that fact doesn’t upset it. No, if anything, Not-Sabo is amused by the fact Ace very clearly wants to pull his little brother away from it. 

“Luffy, can I talk to you for a second?” Ace says. Luffy looks to his tag-along demon, but before he can invite it, Ace adds “One on one?” 

“Oh, sure.” Luffy says. He stands, grinning as he waits for Ace to do the same. “Be right back, Sabo!”

“See you soon.” the thing replies. Its voice is far too… Off. Ace doesn’t know. There’s something unworldly about it, like Ace can’t quite place where it’s coming from. The thing’s mouth moves when it speaks, but Ace feels as though he hears its voice from within his own head. 

Ace sets his hand on Luffy’s back, half-pushing him out the front door of Dadan’s house. 

“Luffy?” Ace asks. He’s trying not to make it clear he’s freaking the hell out, but it’s hard. How can Luffy be so… _Luffy_ about this? 

“Yeah?” Luffy asks “Isn’t this cool? I went back to the treehouse and slept in there and when I woke up, Sabo was there!”

“Luffy, that this isn’t Sabo.” Ace says. “Did you even see its face?”

“Don’t be mean, Ace. He’s not a thing, he’s Sabo.” Luffy crosses his arms. “Just cuz his tooth grew back in doesn’t mean he’s not Sabo anymore.”

“His-- His tooth? That’s what you think the problem is?” Ace asks. Luffy really can’t _see_ it. 

“What else would it be?” Luffy asks. Ace stares at Luffy for a long moment, but Luffy gives no indication he knows any more than he’s saying. Ace sighs. Luffy genuinely believes this thing is Sabo, and after their argument last night... 

“...Right. Fine.” Ace says. Whatever the… Not-Sabo is, Ace has to play nice for now and get rid of it--him?--without upsetting Luffy.

“Then let’s go back inside. He’s been gone for so long! I don’t want to leave him alone in there.” Luffy says, grinning. Ace nods, letting Luffy lead so he can hang back a second to wipe the sweat off his face. 

“Sabo!” Luffy says “We’re back!”

“Hi, Luffy.” Not-Sabo says. Another warm smile, though it doesn’t reach his eyes. Even though his face is pointing at Luffy, Ace can feel Not-Sabo’s gaze. Ace crosses his arms. “Ace, why were you sleeping at Dadan’s tonight? Is something wrong with the treehouse?”

“No. We haven’t used the treehouse since you… Left.” Ace says. 

“I’m back now, aren’t I?” The stranger says. “It looked like it needed a little work, but I’m sure we could fix it up. Just the three of us, like when we were kids.”

Ace wants to ask how he knows about that, but Luffy’s already excited about the idea. 

“We can fix it today! I’m a lot stronger than I used to be, too, so it’ll be done a lot faster.” Luffy says “I bet you’re a lot stronger, too! But I could beat you now!” 

“Luffy…” Ace mumbles. Luffy frowns, then leans towards Not-Sabo.

“Ace doesn’t let me fight him anymore. He’s afraid I’m gonna get hurt.” Luffy stage-whispers to Not-Sabo, clearly unbothered Ace can still hear him. “He worries so much now!”

“I’ll fight you if you’d like, but I’m not going easy on you.” Not-Sabo says. He stands, brushing the dust off his pants from sitting on the floor. “But how about we head to the treehouse first? If we’re going to stay there tonight, it’ll be best to get to work on it now.”

“I’ll tell Dadan we’re leaving and grab my stuff.” Luffy says, hopping to his feet. “Help Ace get his stuff together! I know he missed you a lot. We both did.”

With that Luffy is off, and Ace feels Not-Sabo’s gaze agan. It lifts a moment later, and Not-Sabo bends down to pick something up.

“A telescope?” He asks. Ace looks up, seeing the golden telescope in Not-Sabo’s hand. “Looks just like the one I found for Luffy when we were kids.”

“What? No, it doesn’t. That one was…” Ace starts, but he’s unsure. What did that one look like again? A second ago he was sure they were nothing alike, but suddenly, no matter how hard he thinks back, all he can remember is this same sleek, unblemished gold. It’s far too nice for Grey Terminal, Ace knows there’s no way… But what did it _look_ like?

Not-Sabo watches Ace puzzle a moment with a quiet, closed-lip smile. 

“Come on, Ace.” Not-Sabo says. “We should get ready.”

* * *

“No, a little more to the-- Perfect!” Not-Sabo directs Luffy from the ground, grinning as Luffy sets in the last board. Ace stands next to him, frowning as Luffy hammers it in. 

Ace doesn’t want to sleep when Not-Sabo is around, especially not out here where Dadan and the others are so far off. Ace knows that when they were kids he was stronger than Sabo then (if only by a hair), but he doesn’t know how strong this stranger is. 

Not-Sabo is clearly not even human. Ace has no idea what he actually is, what he’s weak to, or what he’s capable of. The fact Not-Sabo has Luffy’s full trust is dangerous in and of itself. The worst part may be that Ace has no idea what Not-Sabo _wants_ from them. Why even come here? What does some other-worldly being gain from disguising as their dead brother? And why can only Ace see it for what it is?

Not-Sabo bumps Ace’s arm with his elbow to rouse Ace from his thoughts.

“Don’t want to keep him waiting.” Not-Sabo says, pointing to Luffy. Luffy’s hanging out the window, waving to Ace and Not-Sabo from the top.

Ace’s arm feels cold.

* * *

“The cups are still up here, see?” Luffy says, pointing to where their sake cups are hanging in a net on the wall. He’s giving an attentive Not-Sabo a tour of their treehouse, though it’s not like there’s much to show. “We mostly left the treehouse alone after you left.”

“And where did you say you went again?” Ace asks. “I’m surprised you never even wrote. Forget our address?”

“I told Luffy already, It’s a secret.” Every word Not-Sabo says to Ace is clipped, offhand. He barely finds Ace worth humoring. “Some questions are safer unanswered.”

“Then what brings you back now?” Ace asks. 

“I was in the area.” Not-Sabo says. 

“We thought you died.” Luffy says. Ace crosses his arms. His hand lands on his scarred left shoulder, half reminding him the injury is real. 

“You did?” Not-Sabo asks. His voice is much warmer when he talks to Luffy. “I’m so sorry. I would have come back sooner if I’d known.”

“Well, you apologized, so I forgive you.” Luffy grins. “You just have to visit way more! Though it’ll probably just be me, Ace’s 17th birthday is coming up!”

“Is it? That’s exciting.” Not-Sabo says. “Are you going to set out?”

“No.” Ace says. Especially not now, since Luffy’s invited a fucking demon into their house and he doesn’t even know about it.

“A shame.” Not-Sabo says. “But it might be for the best.”

“What?” Luffy asks. 

“Oh, well… If Ace isn’t strong in his conviction to set out, he’s only going to get killed.” Not-Sabo says. He looks at Ace, and somehow, Ace knows Not-Sabo is meeting his eyes. “You won’t be able to do _anything_ by running away.”

Luffy says something in response, but Ace doesn’t really hear it, his heart pounding in his ears. Not-Sabo’s sentence repeats over and over in his mind like a broken dial. 

_He knows?_

* * *

Diving, diving, diving, The ocean is deep, vast, far too deep. Everything burns, every inch of his body and the surface, his eyes and his lungs and his heart. Somewhere below Ace, if he can just reach…! Hold his breath a little longer, swim a little faster, hold his breath-- His breath-- He can’t _breathe--!_

Ace’s eyes fly open, landing on two light-sucking eye sockets looming above him. 

“What’re you--” Ace chokes, hands flying to the two around his neck. Not-Sabo grins.

“Quiet.” He drops Ace’s neck. “Don’t want to wake our brother.”

“What--” Ace coughs, shoving Not-Sabo off himself. He sits up, trying to catch his breath. His chest is burning, but his neck is icy cold where Not-Sabo’s fingers just left.

If Ace hadn’t insisted on sleeping between Not-Sabo and Luffy, would it be Luffy gasping for breath right now? Or is Not-Sabo targeting him?

Not-Sabo watches in silence, sitting up straight. 

“I saw Sabo die.” Ace spits “I don’t know what you want from us, but you aren’t going to get it. I’m not letting anyone else take another brother from me.”

Not-Sabo watches Ace’s coughing die down. When Ace finally looks up at him again, he sees something starting to seep out of Not-Sabo’s eye socket. It crawls up and down out of the hole, over his chin and down his neck. It settles in an instant, and Ace finally realizes what it is: A burn scar. 

“What… Are you?” Ace asks. Not-Sabo smiles. Ace hates looking at it.

“A wish.” Not-Sabo says. “If you’re not ready to complete me yet, that’s alright. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Bastard.” Ace mutters. Not-Sabo’s expression doesn’t waver. That same cold, closed-lip smile. Ace is starting to realize it’s a threat.

“Go back to sleep, Ace. Rest your eyes. I only wanted to speak to you.” Not-Sabo says, then adds, almost sing-song, “One-on-one.”

Ace doesn’t move. 

“I have only your best interests in mind, you know.” Not-Sabo says. “Both of you.”

As Ace’s breathing finally levels, he wonders--Does the stranger even breathe? Can he be strangled? Can he be drowned?

Despite his better judgement, Ace lies down on his side. He faces Luffy, frowning as he feels Not-Sabo’s gaze on his back.

“Sleep well, brother.”

* * *

Is Luffy going to notice? He has to, right? There’s no way Luffy can miss that their fake brother has a giant fucking scar covering a third of his face which wasn’t there yesterday. 

But… Luffy interacts with Not-Sabo just the same, wishing him and Ace the same cheerful good morning. Is it like the eyes? Can Luffy just not see it? Or…

“Luffy?” Ace asks, slowing his run to drop back beside Luffy. Luffy insisted they all hunt breakfast together, and Ace has been waiting for Not-Sabo to build a lead big enough he won’t hear them. Probably. How good is his hearing, anyway...?

“Yeah?” Luffy asks, “You don’t have to drop back anymore, Ace. I can keep up with you just fine!”

“That’s not-- Have you noticed anything weird about Sabo’s face this morning?” Ace asks.

“This again? The tooth isn’t that big a deal!” Luffy says. Ace groans.

“Not the tooth, Luffy. The scar!” Ace says, skidding to a stop. Luffy stops as well, glancing ahead at Not-Sabo’s back. It occurs to Ace dimly that Not-Sabo “remembers” this forest far too well for someone who’s been gone seven years, but what’s yet another weird fucking thing about the guy?

“The big one?” Luffy asks. “All over his face?”

“It wasn’t there yesterday!” Ace says. Luffy stares at him a moment before reaching up to try and put a hand on Ace’s forehead. Ace smacks him away.

“You feeling okay?” Luffy asks. “We can bring you back breakfast if you wanna go back and lie down.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Ace asks. Luffy frowns.

“Sabo’s had that scar since he got back.” Luffy says. “He got it when he left.”

“No, he-- Last night, I saw him. It came out of his eye.” Ace says, almost frantic, pointing to his own left eye. Luffy glances forward to where Not-Sabo has disappeared into the forest.

“Sabo always had the scar.” Luffy says. “Remember?”

“No! Last night, it--” Ace starts, but when he thinks back to yesterday...

Just like with the telescope, Ace finds himself unable to remember what Not-Sabo’s face originally looked like. If Ace couldn’t remember seeing it form, he’s unsure he’d believe it hadn’t always been there the way Luffy does. 

“Ace?” Luffy asks. His head tilts to the side, watching Ace’s no-doubt visible desperation. Is Ace just losing it? Why can’t he remember?! 

Ace clenches his fist, releasing a long sigh. 

“I… Sorry.” Ace says. “Never mind. I don’t know what came over me.”

“If you say so.” Luffy says, and he smiles. “We should catch up to Sabo before he gets too far away.”

Ace only nods, following after Luffy and Not-Sabo. 


	4. ocean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i decided i wanted to publish two chapters this week, so ill have this not and one on friday. next week... i guess ill decide whether the last chapter goes up on tuesday or friday based on if i finish. as those of you who follow me on twitter know, ch 6 has been giving me a frankly unreasonable amount of trouble... ill power thru, tho! i enjoy Wish way too much!

Ace wishes Not-Sabo had stayed dead. It’s not just the fact he’s absolutely terrifying. It’s not the fact Ace has barely slept at all since the guy arrived. It’s not even good, brotherly concern for Luffy. No, if Ace is honest, Not-Sabo’s greatest offense is how much Luffy likes him.

Their resident abomination is a model big brother. He’s everything Luffy has been asking Ace to be, doing all the things Ace was too terrified to. He’s started back up the daily sparing which Ace abandoned, too afraid of hurting another brother to raise a hand against Luffy. A few days ago Not-Sabo took Luffy to dine-and-dash in High Town, a place Ace has successfully insisted they avoid for nearly seven years. On top of that, Ace knows they snuck off to do something stupid yesterday, but Luffy won’t tell Ace what they were up to, and Not-Sabo won’t talk to him at all. His own little brother is keeping secrets for that monster‘s sake! 

All of this while Not-Sabo completely ignores Ace’s very existence. He hasn’t spoken to Ace since trying to kill Ace on their first night. He does whatever he can to not only avoid Ace, but make sure Luffy does, too. More than once Ace has woken up to find the two of them already gone, off on some adventure Ace couldn’t be a part of. Ace is starting to think maybe Not-Sabo has been a better brother in a few days than Ace has been in seven years.

Ace isn’t jealous. He’s pissed, but…

* * *

“Hey, Ace!” Ace looks up. He was supposed to be keeping score of Luffy and Not-Sabo’s latest bout, but he wasn’t really paying attention… “We haven’t gone fishing in a really long time, so me and Sabo were thinking--”

“No.” Ace says immediately, sitting up straighter. “No way in hell. You can’t swim, Luffy.”

“But you and Sabo are here!” Luffy insists. “And we haven’t had fish or alligator or anything in forever! We can go catch dinner and come right back! If you come along, you can make sure nothing happens.”

Like that’ll do them any good.

“Sabo and I are gonna go no matter what.” Luffy says. “Please come with us?”

Ace looks to Not-Sabo, who watches him with disinterest. The last thing he wants to do is visit the water with something wearing his drowned brother’s face, but Letting Luffy go alone with Not-Sabo would be even worse. 

“Alright, I’ll come.” Ace says, standing. Luffy grins. 

“Great! Let’s go now!” Luffy says, running back to Not-Sabo.

* * *

“This isn’t the river.” Ace says. It’s not like Luffy said they’d be going to the river, but he’d thought it was at least implied. Ace has avoided the cliffs by Dawn’s edge, especially when Luffy is with him. Sabo drowned, after all, without even being a hammer. Bringing Luffy by the sea feels like tempting fate, and fate is very scarcely on Ace’s side.

“No, guess not!” Luffy says, and Ace frowns. Did he do this on purpose? “Me and Sabo thought you should face your fears! He said since he didn’t really die, it would be good for you to come out and face the sea again.” 

“Right.” Ace glances over Luffy’s head to Not-Sabo, standing a step away from the water’s edge. He’s got that same fucking smile on his face. Is he planning something?

“Luffy wants to go to sea.” Not-Sabo adds, planting his pipe in the soil in front of him. “You’re going to have to let him go one day, Ace.”

There’s something unsettling in Not-Sabo’s tone, but before Ace can place it, Luffy breaks away from Ace. He stops at the cliff’s edge a yard away, just beyond Not-Sabo, before he turns back to face Ace. Ace jumps to his feet, but he doesn’t move. 

“Luffy, that’s--” Ace starts, but Luffy laughs.

“I’m not gonna fall. I’ve got good balance!” Luffy says. He gestures to Not-Sabo, who’s leaning on the pole without putting much weight on it. “Plus, Sabo can catch me, and so can you. I’m not worried.”

“”I’m not-- Come on, what does this even get you?” Ace asks, taking a step forward. He needs to pull Luffy away from there. “You can prove your point without standing so--”

“No, I can’t!” Luffy insists. “You’re always running away! You’ve been running away since we thought Sabo died! You never used to be like that, you used to never back down no matter what happened and no matter how strong your enemy was!” 

“This is different.” Ace says, stealing another step towards the ocean. “The enemy then was… It was the world, and I--”

“Your enemy was you.” Luffy says, folding his arms. Ace freezes, a step and a half short of his brother. Not-Sabo stands to the side, watching their interaction in silence. As Luffy talks, Not-Sabo begins to lean more heavily on the pole. It’s like he’s watching a show unfold, unnaturally relaxed when set against Ace and Luffy.

“Luffy...” 

“You hated yourself more than you hated the guy who shot Sabo out of the water.” Luffy continues, “But it wasn’t your--”

And suddenly Luffy is gone, the ground below him crumbling away. Ace hears the splash before he even processes what he’s seeing. Luffy disappears below the water in an instant, yanked down by his devil fruit. Panic sweeps over Ace immediately. Another brother drowning right in front of him! It’s Ace’s worst nightmare again, but worse, so much worse. He has to help, he has to do something, but his feet are frozen to the ground. He feels like he’s drowning again, like his esophagus has filled with water and smoke and his throat and his lungs and his heart are burning, and he can’t breathe. Ace killed Sabo because he let Sabo down. Sabo disappeared into a too-vast sea, what if Luffy does the same? What if Ace k--

Another splash shakes Ace out of his own head. Maybe five seconds have passed since Luffy fell into the water, but that was enough, wasn’t it? Not-Sabo is in the water, pulling a barely-sunken Luffy above the waves. 

“Ace! Help us up!” Not-Sabo snaps, jerking his head in the direction of his abandoned pipe. “It’s the least you could do!”

Ace grabs the pipe without a word, holding it down so Not-Sabo can grab on. He pulls them out, watching Not-Sabo lie Luffy down. His hand feels numb where he still holds Not-Sabo’s pipe. 

“You okay?” Not-Sabo asks. Luffy nods, coughing. He spits out water, but Ace only feels like his own lungs are filling more. Ace’s worst nightmare… 

“I’m alright.” Luffy says, laughing. “I guess the ground wasn’t so stable after all.”

“I’m glad you’re okay.” Not-Sabo says. “Let’s just sit back and catch some fish for dinner, alright? I think you made your point to Ace just fine.”

“Yup.” Ace mutters. “Loud and clear.” 

Not-Sabo pulls a soggy Luffy away from the edge, Ace only watching. When it mattered most, when Luffy  _ needed _ him, he just stood there and panicked. Some fucking demon could do better than Ace. Is that the kind of brother Ace is? Is that the kind of brother Luffy deserves?

* * *

Luffy and Not-Sabo fish together for a few hours. Ace hangs out behind them, just watching from the tree line. Luffy sits next to Not-Sabo, his legs hanging over the edge of the cliff, a bright smile on his face. He’s in no danger, sitting next to Not-Sabo. It’s only when Ace got close that Luffy fell in. It’s Ace’s fault, of course it’s Ace’s fault. If Not-Sabo hadn’t been there, Luffy would be dead. Ace would have killed him, too.

Ace always knew. If he’d just tried harder back then, Sabo would be fine. If he’d tried harder today, Luffy might not have even fallen in! He could have caught Luffy, or dived in after him, or… Or done anything else! Done anything that wasn’t just to freeze up. All he’s meant to do is to watch his loved ones die, or to kill them outright. Not-Sabo didn’t just save Luffy, he stopped Ace. He made it clear from the start, didn’t he, that this is what he was here to do? That he knew what Ace had done, that he was here to fix it. 

Luffy wished, the night before Not-Sabo arrived, that Sabo was here instead. He didn’t say “instead,” but Ace knows. Is that what created this thing? Does Luffy want Ace replaced that badly?

In front of Ace, Luffy’s line snags a fish. Not-Sabo wraps his arms around Luffy to grab the fishing rod, trying to help him pull it up. This is what Luffy wanted, isn’t it? A brother who could actually help him, who could stand to sit by the ocean--the place of Luffy’s dreams--without panicking, who wouldn’t shy away from all sorts of danger and recklessness. A brother who wouldn’t run. The sort of brother Sabo was, the sort of brother Ace used to be. Did Ace really hate Not-Sabo this whole time? Or did Ace just know all along what he’s only now realizing? 

Not-Sabo’s presence is a threat to Ace. Not in that Not-Sabo is dangerous, but in that Luffy finally has something to compare Ace to. Ace is the best brother in the world when they don’t know any other people their age with siblings, when what’s left of Sabo has rotted away somewhere on the ocean floor. But their new not-brother…

Now it’s clear to everyone. Ace has always known. All those years ago, he should have been faster, been stronger, been more determined. He should have found Sabo or died trying. Because even a demon wearing Sabo’s skin did better at being a brother in one fucking week than Ace had in seven years. Ace can trust some goddamn abomination with Luffy over his own self. And if that’s the case, what does that make Ace?

* * *

As the sun starts to set, Ace watches the other two carry their fish back home. He follows without doing much, knowing they really don’t need his help to clean their fish or make a fire. Luffy seems to have forgotten Ace is even here altogether, though it doesn’t really bother Ace at all. That’s what Ace gets, isn’t it? He takes a seat on the other side of the fire, letting the two of them sit next to each other. Let Not-Sabo take the spot where Luffy’s brother sits. He deserves it far more.

Ace watches them interact. Luffy is laughing about something with his whole body, his smile brighter than the fire that sits between them. Not-Sabo leans on his pipe with one arm, gesturing with the other. Ace knows now that he’s watching what could have been, had he not killed Sabo all those years ago.

Maybe this is Ace’s second chance. Maybe this is Luffy’s second chance, Sabo’s second chance. Why did Ace even bother to fight it? Why couldn’t he have just played along from the start? Luffy believed the stranger’s story immediately, and look how happy he is. How happy they are! Why did Ace want to stand in the way of this, anyway? Isn’t this a good thing? This is what Luffy wished for. Why should Ace insist so much that this man isn’t their brother?

All of a sudden, Ace’s head feels sort of fuzzy. He’s forgetting something, but he doesn’t know what. Why  _ did _ he believe so strongly that this wasn’t their brother? He can’t seem to remember… 

For the first time in the night, Ace realizes he’s being watched.

Across the fire, Sabo is staring at him. He gives Ace a wide, toothy grin.

Quietly, the old scar on Ace’s arm begins to fade.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> having this fic be strictly to Ace's pov works very well, but that did mean i had to be subtle about some of the stuff Not-Sabo pulled on him...


	5. sabo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ive been enjoying everyone's theories as to what Not-Sabo is and what his goal is! no one has been 100% right yet, but some of you (across here, ffn, and personal texts) have gotten pretty close! and of course i wont share who ;)
> 
> thank you for all your reviews and comments! we're in the last stretch here! time to get answers! 
> 
> aaand... cw for... lots of memory altering / unrealtiy? sort of? as well as a but of eye themed horror

_ “Ace, I…” _

Sabo has been home for a little under a month. It’s been so much fun to have the three of them back together again, even if he and Ace had a rocky start. Ace was so mad he didn’t even write, but his whereabouts were super top secret, so where would they even send the letter?

Ace gets along well with Sabo, just like how they used to. They never used to bicker as kids, so it finally feels right to be having fun and getting along with his brother again. He can’t even really remember why he was so mad…

_ “I want to get stronger!” _

Sabo set off when they were ten, after his parents caught them. A pirate at ten! He’s been telling Ace and Luffy all about his adventures. 

“I came home for Luffy,” says Sabo, “I want to help him get stronger, and then when he’s old enough we can set out together. I’ll take watching over him off your hands, Ace.”

It’ll be sad to see them go, but Ace knows Luffy is in good hands. There’s no one he trusts more than his brothers. And Sabo has always been the nicer brother.

_ “I wanna be lots, lots, lots, lots, lots, lots…” _

Ace’s head has been  _ killing _ him lately. Did he always get headaches this bad? He can’t really remember… 

_ “...Lots, lots, lots, lots…” _

They sit up late at night, lying in the treehouse, talking about their childhoods. Sabo seems almost like he’s trying to rehash everything, but Ace doesn’t blame him. They haven’t seen each other in seven years! Ace, Luffy, and Sabo seem to remember everything the exact same, down to Sabo being able to finish his brothers’ exact sentences. It’s like Sabo is reading their minds! It’s so nice how close they are. 

Talking to Sabo about the past, Ace is able to remember things he didn’t even realize he remembered. Things he must’ve forgotten. How could he forget time spent with his favorite people in the world? He’s glad having Sabo here is helping him remember so much. Sabo has a really good memory. He mentions some detail Luffy and Ace forgot, and they can’t even recall how they got it wrong. They all remember things the same.

_ “...Lots, lots…” _

During the day they fight the forest and river’s beasts, spar, dine-and-dash in High Town… It’s like being ten again. It’s so wonderful to have Sabo back, to have their whole family complete. They still haven’t visited Dadan, they’re having so much fun it just keeps getting away from them. She and everyone else’ll be thrilled to see Sabo is home. Ace can bring it up tomorrow.

_ “..Lots stronger!” _

Why does his head hurt so much these days? Sometimes he sleeps and he dreams of such weird things. There’s a fire, or something, or maybe there’s water. He goes home and his whole body is bandaged, but his arm… Something about his arm. He doesn’t… 

And then, in the dream, Luffy is crying, and he’s saying something, but Ace can never really make it out. Why is he crying? They were always so happy… 

Ace’s head has really been bothering him.

_ “So there won’t be anything I can’t protect!” _

Everything has been so nice since Sabo came home. Ace knows this is how things should be. When he watches his brothers interact, he knows this is how things should always have been. Sabo’s always been such a wonderful brother. If Ace is honest, he’s probably the better brother. It’s so nice he’s been home. 

_ “And nobody’ll ever have to go away again!” _

Ace and Sabo decided they’d go out and find lunch on their own today. Sabo wanted to surprise Luffy with a big meal. 

Sabo’s walking alongside Ace, and though his face is pointing forwards, Ace can tell Sabo is looking at him. Even when they were kids, Ace could always tell when Sabo was looking at him, even without Sabo’s eyes to show him. It’s just a sign they’re so close. 

Sabo stops walking, abrupt.

_ “So please…” _

“Ace, I need to talk to you.”

“What’s up?” Ace stops beside him. 

“If something were to happen to me…” Sabo starts, “Would you help me?”

“Of course.” Ace says “You’re my brother.”

“Would you do everything in your power to save me?” Sabo continues.

“Yes, I would.” Ace says, “Where is this even coming from?”

“Would you even give your life for me?” Sabo asks. Something about his tone, it’s… Has Sabo ever seemed so cold before?

“Sabo, is something wrong? Are you in danger?” Ace asks.

“Yes.” Sabo says. He plants the pole in the ground. “I need you to help me, Ace.”

“I’ll help you. I’ll always help you.” Ace says. “What do you need?”

“Your eyes.” Sabo says. He’s got a closed-mouth smile unlike anything Ace has ever seen on his face. Why does he seem so sinister? Has Ace’s head always hurt this badly?

“My eyes?” Ace asks, incredulous. Sabo nods. 

“I need your eyes, Ace. I can’t stay here much longer without them.” Sabo says “The windows to the soul.” 

“...Sabo, this is insane.” Ace’s voice wavers. 

“Insane? What’s insane is the idea you’d let your brother die because you were too scared of some simple request.” Sabo insists. “I don’t have forever here, Ace.”

“What do you mean?” Ace asks. Sabo steps forward, and for a half a second, Ace considers stepping back. 

“I need them. I need to complete the wish.” Sabo says. “You said you’d give your life for me. I’m asking for it. Let me take your eyes, so I can take your place. Just like you wished.”

“Just like I wished…?” Ace mutters.

“I will take your place, just like you’ve wanted since he died. You always suspected Sabo was the better brother, and now that he’s back, you know that you were right. Give me your eyes, Ace, and Luffy and I will remember you died seven years ago, like you always knew you were meant to. Luffy will get seven years with the better brother. You’ll drown saving him.” Sabo says. 

Ace’s head hurts. He remembers pain. He remembers desperation. He remembers the water. He remembers the fire. He remembers his brother. He remembers regret. He remembers pain. His head, his chest, his lungs, his eyes-- His eyes--

“Everything will be right, Ace. Just like you wanted.” Sabo says. “Luffy and I will set out to sea together. I’ll take good care of him for the last seven years, and I’ll take great care of him in the future. And all it will take to give your brothers the lives they deserve is just two little eyes.”

“I…” Ace starts. He stumbles, just a step back. Once, he’d never run from anyth--

“Ace!” Sabo says, holding out his hand. “Give me your eyes!  _ Now _ ! Don’t you care about your brothers at all?!”

“Of course I care! I love them!” Ace says, and Sabo smiles again. 

“This is the second chance you’ve been waiting for, Ace! So what are you hesitating for? Save your family!” 

Ace meets Sabo’s gaze. Sabo stretches out a hand. Fingers splayed apart, he reaches for Ace’s face.

_ “Don’t die, Ace!” Luffy yells, yanking his hat down over his face. His fingers are white-knuckle on the brim. He’s crying. Why is he crying? Why would he even ask something like that? Luffy hates being alone. Ace isn’t going to leave him alone. He’ll always look out for his little brother. _

A pipe connects with Sabo’s hand. Ace’s body falls to the ground with more speed and force than a simple collapse, as if yanked down by Sabo’s falling arm.

“Get your hand off my brother, you body snatching bastard!” 

The voice is familiar. Not Luffy’s, not Sabo’s… Why does Ace know that voice? Ace’s head is so fuzzy… He barely can find the strength to turn his head and look. What did he even want to look at again?

“You’re dead! What are you doing here?!” Sabo yells. 

“Get away from him!” The newcomer, that’s what Ace wanted to know about… Everything is still so fuzzy. There’s a pair of black boots in Ace’s vision. 

Sabo backs off, so the newcomer turns around. Ace sees light blue pants kneeling in front of him, and then there’s a hand on his face. Brown gloves…

“Ace?” the newcomer asks, turning Ace’s head. Wavy blond hair, a big scar, two wide, worried eyes… 

“Whether you’re here or not doesn’t matter.” Sabo says, “You see, don’t you?”

Though Ace can’t see it, the newcomer can: He’s too late. Ace’s left eye is gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and to zaria, when you asked "at what cost" ace got his brother back: now you know! i told you it would be in chapter 5! :D
> 
> also, i made some quick little edits of Not-Sabo in the ASL flashback. here if you want to see them: https://asexualzoro.tumblr.com/post/616881778639208448/if-wish-art-will-not-come-into-existence-just-from


	6. love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i think the funniest review(s) i got on ch 5 were ppl who didnt fully trust that the newcomer was actual Sabo. you guys are so valid bc im an asshole and all but it was SO funny

After nearly seven years, it seemed maybe Sabo’s memories were coming back on their own. The first time it happened, Sabo was half asleep on his desk, completely ignoring the work he was meant to be doing. A bright, golden telescope appeared in his head. He was ten, pulling it out of a pile in some junkyard. Figuring he was dreaming, he ignored it. The memories didn’t stop. 

Another short snippet. Himself and two boys in some forest. Himself and two boys in the junkyard. Himself and two boys in a crowded house. The same two boys every single time. Sabo’s long-forgotten family. He hadn’t even known how much he missed them until he finally saw their faces again, and he loved them. He knew through every single memory that he loved them. Every time Luffy laughed, every time Ace smiled, every time they caused trouble or barely escaped some scrape with a lion or the law. Sabo knew he loved them. At one time, they must have meant everything to him. 

And then he saw himself.

Luffy had fallen into the river. An anchor. Sabo had to help. When Sabo looked down into the water, he found his own appearance terribly wrong. He was missing his eyes, two light-devouring holes in their place. And he smiled, even when his brother was in danger. 

Sabo’d wanted to go back since he started remembering things, to try to see if these boys might still be there on the island he’d been found at, to see if his memories were really returning and his brothers were still waiting. His horrifying reflection had him in Dragon’s office before ten minutes were up, explaining why he needed to be in the East Blue as soon as possible.

Memories returned in full force over his journey. Whatever was causing this was even beginning to overwrite Sabo’s memories of the time since the first memory returned. If he thought back he’d find that little island, two teenagers, and a man who looked like he could almost have been Sabo. His hair was off and his dress was wrong and his scar stuck out in the wrong places, but what stood out the most were still the pits where his eyes should have been. 

The creature wearing Sabo’s face, preying on Sabo’s brothers. Whatever it is and whatever it wants, Sabo will stop it. He can’t lose his brothers when he hasn’t even had a chance to meet them yet. That face-stealing bastard will have to go through Sabo first.

So Sabo’s feet move on their own, remembering the layout of the island years after he left it. Were it not for his brother half-conscious in his arms, he’d love to take in the alien feeling of familiarity. But Ace is breathing quietly into his chest, and Sabo feels urgency in all Ace’s peace. 

Ace passed out shortly after Sabo arrived. Losing his eye--or, rather, losing a piece of his  _ soul _ … In the moments before passing out, Ace had barely been present. It’s as if Ace is gone from his own head. 

If Sabo’d just been faster, none of this would have happened. He should have left Baltigo the minute he started to remember. 

But… If Sabo had been any slower, there would have been no Ace to save. He can at least be grateful for that. As long as that one-eyed face-stealing bastard following them doesn’t get Ace’s other eye, Ace can be saved. If Sabo can get Ace’s eye back, everything should be fine. If he can’t… 

Sabo will get Ace’s eye back whether he  _ can _ or not. He’s not above taking it from the monster’s face by force if he needs to. 

And then the treehouse comes into view, and Sabo falters. It looks just as he remembers it, which is something Sabo never really thought he’d get to say about his childhood. He pulls Ace a little tighter to himself and draws in a breath.

“Luffy?!” Sabo shouts. Ace stirs a little in his arms, but settles back in as Luffy peers out the window. Spotting Ace, Sabo, and the demon trailing them, Luffy vaults the windowsill to land in front of them.

Sabo wishes he could have this moment on better terms. The three of them haven’t been in the same space in years. This should be a celebration! This is a family Sabo didn’t even know he had, one he realized he loves far too late. Now he might lose them because he was a few seconds too slow in coming home. 

“Who are you?” Luffy asks. Finally noticing Sabo’s cargo, Luffy closes the gap immediately to grab Ace’s face. “Ace! What happened to him?”

“That thing.” Sabo spits, watching Luffy. He moves his hands to Ace’s shoulders, trying to shake Ace awake. Ace’s eyelids open briefly, revealing one empty eye and one empty eye socket. Shock forces Luffy to drop Ace, almost flinching away from him. “It took a piece of his soul by stealing one of his eyes, and it’s trying to take the rest by taking the other.”

“That--” Luffy starts, glancing over Sabo’s shoulder. He narrows his eyes, looking back to the face-stealer. Sabo glances back, seeing the thing grinning. It’s eyes are closed. “You mean  _ Sabo _ ?”

“That isn’t Sabo. That thing stole Ace’s eye. It was trying to kill him.” Sabo insists. Luffy takes in the scene for a second, then cracks his knuckles. The Luffy who Sabo is starting to remember couldn’t throw a punch to save his life, but it’s been a long time… 

“Sabo wouldn’t hurt Ace.” Luffy says “So whatever you did--”

“I didn’t do this! I stopped that face-stealing bastard from outright killing him!” Sabo yells. 

“Sabo wouldn’t kill him, and he wouldn’t die!” Luffy reels back his fist, “Who even are you, anyway? And why do you have Ace?!”

“ _ I’m  _ Sabo! The real Sabo!” Sabo pulls Ace closer on instinct, bracing for Luffy’s hit. Luffy falters. 

“I’m not going to hurt Ace. I want to help. I can prove it.” Sabo says. “I know things from when we were kids, things only the three of us would know. Like… One time, we were running through the forest, and the bridge went out from under you, remember? And I--” 

“Caught you, and Ace caught my ankles, and together we pulled you up.” The face-stealer finishes. Luffy frowns, crossing his arms.

“But not only that!” Sabo says. So it can finish one sentence. Sabo can remember more than that. “One time, we went looking for food, and you found a bunch of mushrooms, but--”

“A large snake found you, and me and Ace had to stop it from eating you.” The face-stealer says. 

“I remember stealing Dadan’s alcohol, and--”

“Swearing brotherhood with you and Ace.” the face-stealer says, not even allowing Sabo to finish. It steps up to Sabo’s side, grinning, watching Sabo with Ace’s blank eye. “I’m impressed you learned all this about us, stranger. Where do you even get information on three random kids in far-flung East Blue?”

Sabo glances at the face-stealer’s too-wide smile and realizes he’s fucked. This is the creature which brought back all of Sabo’s memories. It has every single memory Sabo has, but not only that… 

“I remember…” The face-stealer hums, rubbing its chin in an exaggerated gesture of thought. The eye points to Sabo, but he feels watched-- _ judged _ \--only by the hole to its side. “Setting out at ten, after my father caught me in Grey Terminal. Ran away after the fire and came right back home, and I was off the next day. Do you  _ remember _ Ace and Luffy waving you off, too?”

And Sabo does. Sabo remembers the clear skies above Dawn, the wide smiles of his brothers, the vast oceans stretching out in front of him. The face-stealer is messing with him, but it’s working. Every single memory Sabo gets back, the face-stealer gave to him. Each one wretched and defiled, and not one which really has Sabo in it. The face-stealer has cut itself into Sabo’s place, and Sabo has no idea what they really looked like to fix it. Does Sabo have any proof that anything he remembers even happened? 

The face-stealer leans on its pole, smiling at Sabo. The scar on its face begins to peel, flakes crawling across its face into the empty eye socket. The old scar on Sabo’s own face starts to fade at the edges as he comes to terms with yet another event vanishing from his memory entirely. 

But Sabo’s never been able to trust his memories. More than half his life disappeared in an instant, and he never got anything to show for it. He can do this without his memories. Sabo’s grip tightens on Ace, like it will save Ace if he holds tight enough. He’s barely known of his brothers a month, he refuses to lose them already.

“Luffy, you don’t have to believe me about who I am.” Sabo says. “What matters is that this monster  _ isn’t _ Sabo. It will kill Ace if it gets near him again, and I’m not letting it have him.”

“You don’t need to get so defensive.” the face-stealer says. “I’m not a monster or a murderer. I’m a wish.”

“A wish?” Sabo asks. The face-stealer nods.

“Ace’s wish.” It says. Ace’s eye flickers with something, if only for a second. Sabo recognizes it: Pain. 

“What?” Luffy asks. He’s been mostly silent while Sabo and his double exchange blows, but… “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Ace made a wish. He wanted Sabo to be here instead of him.” the face-stealer says. “So Sabo came back, just like he asked. I’ve been trying to help him make his wish come true, but he wasn’t ready until now.”

“What?” Luffy asks again. The face-stealer turns on him. 

“Why do you look surprised? He wished it as soon as he realized you felt the same.” The face-stealer says. “You both knew Sabo was the better older brother. When Ace realized you wanted--”

“I never wanted that!” Luffy yells. “We both wished Sabo had never died, but I don’t want to replace Ace!”

“The night before I arrived, you and Ace had an argument.” The face-stealer says. “You said you wished Sabo was here. When Ace asked if you meant instead of him, you never answered.” 

“Because he was being stupid!” Luffy steps forward. The face-stealer’s eye widens in shock, “Ace is the most important person in the world. I missed Sabo, but I wouldn’t trade Ace for anything!”

“You already did.” the face-stealer says. Luffy frowns. He moves to Sabo’s side, putting a hand on Ace’s shoulder. He glances up at Sabo. Sabo gets the message.

If Sabo can’t prove who he is in memory, then he’ll do it in love. 

“We haven’t traded anything yet.” Sabo says. “Give Ace’s eye back or we’ll take it by force.”

“That won’t work. It has to go willingly. Ace chose to give it to me. He has to choose to take it back, and I doubt he can even do something like that in his state.” the face-stealer says. It closes Ace’s eye and folds its arms, looking at Ace. “Just let me have his other eye, complete his wish. You’ll forget any of this ever happened. Luffy, you’ll get the best big brother Ace could have hoped for you. Sabo, you won’t have to worry about either of your brothers ever again. This is what Ace has always wanted.”

“You’re not my brother. Ace is an idiot, but he’s my idiot.” Luffy says. He shakes Ace’s shoulder, trying to make Ace hear him. Ace stirs, slightly, opening one bleary eye. “I don’t  _ want _ the ‘best brother in the world.’ I want Ace!”

For the first time since he lost his eye, Sabo sees Ace’s gaze focus on something. Ace stares at Luffy, and Sabo knows he can hear them. 

“Ace just wants the best for you.” the face-stealer says. Ace’s eye drifts, noticing the face-stealer for the first time. Sabo shifts his hold to turn Ace inward, keeping Ace’s attention on the two of them.

“I only just got you two back. You can’t die before I even get to talk to you again.” Sabo says. “I’m not letting you give up your life, and I’m not giving up my brotherhood with Luffy.”

“This is what Ace wants.” the face-stealer says. Ace’s eye finds Sabo’s face. “You don’t need to--”

“...Sabo?” Ace asks. His voice is quiet, but it shuts the face-stealer up. 

“Hi, Ace.” Sabo says. He feels his breath leave him, water burning at the back of his eyes and closing his throat. It’s almost funny how just hearing his brother say his name could make him so emotional, but he missed them both so much, even if he didn’t realize it. “Sorry for leaving, Ace. Did you miss me?”

“Yeah. I did.” Ace mumbles. His eye falls on Luffy, sliding lazily between them.

“We’re really worried about you, Ace.” Sabo says. Luffy snickers.

“Don’t say that, he’ll hate that.” Luffy says, squeezing Ace’s arm. “I love you, Ace. We both do. Even if you’re not the perfect brother, and you can be stupid, and you’re really annoying sometimes, and--”

“Luffy.”

“What? It’s true.” 

“I mean, yeah, he’s a real brat sometimes, and possibly the biggest idiot I’ve ever met in my life other than you, but you don’t have to say that _right_ _now_.” Sabo says. Luffy frowns. Ace snorts. 

“Assholes.” Ace mutters. He leans his head against Sabo’s chest. Keeping it together enough to hear his brothers is exhausting him.

“Yeah, and you can make fun of us back when you’re yourself again.” Sabo says. “Come back to us, Ace. You never used to run from anything. Don’t run from your brothers.”

“Take your eye back.” Luffy says, pressing against Sabo’s arm. He leans his cheek against Sabo’s shoulder, smiling at Ace even now. “Even if you’re stupid and annoying, you’re still the best big brother ever.”

Ace listens intently, and his head falls back to the face-stealer. It straightens its back, watching Ace with the void in its face.

“Is that your wish?” The face-stealer opens its eye. Ace looks into its face, into his own eye. Sabo sees, for just a second, determination glint across its surface.

“Yeah.” Ace nods. “S’ours.”

“Alright.” the face-stealer says. It steps forwards, a hand over its stolen eye. When it pulls its hand away, there are once again two empty sockets, and a ball of firey light in its palm. It pushes the eye back into Ace’s socket. Immediately, life returns to Ace’s face, even as his body goes limp under the task of retaking its own soul.

Luffy grins, but Sabo’s not yet ready to celebrate. He looks up, glaring.

“Fix our memories.” Sabo says. The face-stealer steps back.

“When I cease to be, your memories will return to normal.” The face-stealer says “But you’ll forget all about Ace and Luffy again, you know.”

“That’s fine. We can always make new ones. And once Ace is awake, they can fill me in.” Sabo says. He glances to Luffy, squeezing Ace in his arms. “Memories or not, I’ll never forget that I love them.”

The face-stealer seems satisfied with that answer. It turns around, walking off into the forest. Its body seems to peel away at the edges, fabric and hair and skin flaking off in the sunlight. 

“The best brothers in the world.” the face-stealer muses. “Guess you never needed a wish for that, Ace.”

* * *

When Ace opens his eyes, it takes him a second to recognize the ceiling of the old treehouse. Luffy’s voice, animated as always, explains some old misadventure. His one-man audience makes all the appropriate noises of shock and amusement, happy to listen no matter how poor Luffy’s story-telling skills.

“I feel like I got run over by--” Ace starts, sitting up. He doesn’t have a chance to finish before being hug-tackled back to the ground by Luffy.

“Ace!” Luffy yells, looping both his arms half a dozen times around Ace’s torso.

“Like you’ve been run over by Luffy?” 

Ace laughs, sitting up again, this time with his brother latched onto him. He rests one arm behind himself to prop himself up, and wraps the other around the back of Luffy’s waist. 

“Something like that.” Ace says. He finally looks up at the other speaker, and he pauses.

The man looks like the Sabo that Ace once knew, but not. His hair has grown out, short curls into long waves. His dress is different, much cleaner and more fashionable. There’s a scar over the left side of his face, a burn not unlike the one Ace knows on his own arm. And his eyes...

Even with how much has changed, Ace would recognize his brother’s face anywhere. This is Sabo.  _ This is Sabo _ .

“What’re you sitting over there for?” Ace asks. He lifts his free arm to Sabo, who needs not be asked twice. Luffy unwraps one of his arms from Ace to pull Sabo into their hug, and each boy does everything in his power to pull his brother as close to himself as possible, and then just a little closer. 

“You passed out even longer than I did.” Sabo says. He’s the first to pull back, but only because he’s wrapped up in Luffy’s dominant arm, and Luffy is kind of crushing him. Especially his ribs. And lungs. 

Luffy releases the both of them as the three separate, though continues sitting on Ace’s legs. Sabo settles on the blanket, the tree of them forming a tight triangle.

“You passed out?” Ace asks. He frowns. “I don’t really remember any of the last, uh…”

“Don’t worry about it. It won’t help you to try to force your memories. Trust me, I’d know.” Sabo says. “Back then, I didn’t die. I suffered an injury and lost all my memories. They started coming back when that fake me started tampering with your memories. They’re all gone again now. Frankly, I’m relieved that thing let me keep the last few days so I at least know where I am.”

“And who me and Ace are!” Luffy says “I’ve been telling him about stupid stuff Ace did when we were kids. Like the time you tried to murder me by pushing me off a cliff, or the time you tried to murder me by throwing me to wolves, or--”

“Luffy!” 

“He’s actually just been talking my ear off talking about how much he loves you, mostly. Cool stuff you did, saving him from tigers.” Sabo says. Luffy frowns, clearly unhappy Sabo’s ratting him out. “But I have questions about that murder thing…?”

“We both tried to murder him.” Ace says “We were assholes as kids.” 

“Fair enough.” Sabo says. 

“Sabo’s gonna be staying here a little while.” Luffy cuts in. “He wants to write down as much of our memories of him as possible, so he doesn’t forget them again. And he missed us.”

“Still into writing books, huh?” Ace asks.

“Was I always?” Sabo asks. Ace nods.

“When we were little, you wanted to sail the world and write a book about your adventures.” Ace says. “Guess you forgot all about that, though.”

“Not completely.” Sabo says. “I’ve got a few full diaries at home. I didn’t want to risk forgetting everything again, so I’ve been keeping track of it all.”

“Guess it’ll be easy to pick up your dream again, huh?” Ace asks. 

“Like I never really dropped it.” Sabo says. Luffy opens his mouth to speak, but Ace cuts him off.

“Where is home, anyway?” Ace asks, “You lost all your memories, and you didn’t come back to Dawn…”

“The man who saved me took me in.” Sabo says. He can see that there’s clearly a bit of tension between Luffy and Ace at the mention of dreams, but that’s just another thing he missed.

“That’s another person Ace has to thank.” Luffy says. 

“What?” Sabo asks. Luffy nods. 

“Ace said once that after he left he wanted to thank Shanks for saving me when I was little. Now he has to thank that guy for saving you.” Luffy says. He stares Ace down. It’s pretty clear what he’s really asking. Is Ace still planning to stay here? He tried to run and it nearly killed him, nearly trapped Luffy with a monster, nearly wrote Sabo out of their lives entirely. Is Ace still planning to run?

“Do you…” Ace starts, “Do you think maybe Makino would still teach me manners lessons, like she offered when we were kids? I don’t want to be rude when I stop by.”

Luffy beams.

“I bet she’d love to help. Me and Sabo can help Ace out, too!” Luffy says.

“I don’t think you can help me learn manners.” Ace says. Luffy laughs.

“And she needs to see Sabo is back!” Luffy says. “Dadan and them, too. They’re gonna be so excited! I bet Dadan’ll cry.”

“Who’s Dadan?” Sabo asks. 

Luffy hops to his feet, ignoring the noise Ace makes when he just misses Ace’s shins.

“Let’s go!” Luffy declares “We can go see everyone right now!” 

Ace pushes to his feet, watching Luffy grab Sabo’s waist. Luffy runs over to and out of the treehouse’s window, yanking his unfortunate victim with him. 

Ace laughs at the sound of swearing on the ground, but when he heads to the window, they’ve already made up. Luffy’s taken Sabo’s hand, launching into an explanation of… Is he planning a party? Of course he is. They’re talking amongst themselves, but Ace doesn’t mind being left out for once. He leans his head in one of his hands, content just to see them interact.

It’s going to be weird, to think that Ace might be leaving soon. He and Sabo will have to be sure Luffy is ready, since Ace still feels like a dick leaving him on his own. But… 

Ace pulls back from the window, drifting to a shelf on the wall. Luffy left the telescope here when they moved back into the treehouse. He picks it up, turning it in his hands. It must be worth a lot of money, and plenty difficult to steal. That is, if the thief isn’t strong, fast, and capable. That Luffy got this for Ace without even a scratch… Maybe Ace had nothing to worry about at all. 

He laughs a little under his breath. Is that the gift Luffy was trying to give him all along? His little brother has always been good at this kind of thing. Too bad Ace was too stupid to notice. Better late than never, though, right? 

His thumb brushes over a weird texture, and Ace turns the telescope in his hands. For the first time, Ace notices words carved into the golden barrel. The inscription, just a few words reads--

“Ace! Hurry up!” Luffy yells. Ace glances out the window, setting down the telescope. He climbs down the ladder, jumping the last few rungs so he can run to catch up to his brothers. Luffy drops Sabo’s hand so he can pull Ace between them.

Of course they wouldn’t leave him out. 

The inscription, just a few words reads: “ _ Eyes on the horizon ahead _ .”

Luffy grabs Ace’s hand, watching to make sure Sabo does the same. Ace squeezes them both. Ace’s brothers would never leave him behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...and that's that! 
> 
> i hate to say it, but im gonna miss Not-Sabo. the bastard's very fun to write. this chapter in particular was cool. i really wanted to make sure Not-Sabo acted as though it believed fully that what it wanted was what ace wanted, and therefore it wasn't doing a bad thing / IT wasn't a bad thing. after i finished the chapter Mel suggested i add in Ace's eye, which acted on its own / by ace's true feelings. that was fun!
> 
> also..... i really enjoyed getting to write them being soft and just loving their family / each other. bc that's what makes these boys so compelling in the first place! all three of them mean the world to one another! and im glad i got to have them just being soft at the end. also it almost made me cry
> 
> thank you to everyone who has reviewed or kudos's or otherwise enjoyed Wish! i had a lot of fun writing it, in part because of the awesome response it got! i loved everyone who left long theories and short screaming, and everything in between! i hope you loved Wish as much as i do!
> 
> if youd like to keep up w me, im asexualzoro on both tumblr and twitter. there's a bit more Wish content in the "#fake sabo au" tag on my tumblr blog (partly in that i keep making memes, partly in that a few lovely people have gifted me stuff (??!!!)), so check that out!
> 
> and one more time: thank you, everyone, for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for joining me and for reading this!


End file.
